The singer has been hailed as one of the best-known Christian rappers and found fame after becoming only the third Christian artist to have a number one debut on Billboard’s Top 200 chart with his albumEye On It in 2012.

He says, “I’ve always come from hip-hop roots albeit I’m a pop artist… I’ve always thought, man, if you’re talking about hope, if you’re talking about faith, you can’t limit it to one style of music… Gospel

I do PR for a non-profit in North Carolina that dreams really big. How big? How about building the first shelter for minors who have been trafficked in the US? How about being barely a year old and have over 400 guests attending its first benefit gala? If you live in the North Carolina area, I would suggest you attend this event. There will be live music, auctions, amazing speakers, many influential abolitionists around the US, great food and a chance to dress up…all for a good cause. Need tickets? Click here.

So often times I get the question, What fuels J D C? How did J D C come about? What’s the story behind the man and his music? At this point I just give a sly smirk and slightly chuckle because this wards off the potential tears, and emotion that rush me without warning. My story…….my pain……my test and trial are not so common. Suffering is something I will always harp on and never discourage because in this life pain, anguish, discomfort seem to always get the attention of the subject that has found itself lost, misguided or at rock bottom. I found myself standing in front of a brick wall spiritually.

I grew up a church boy, drumming my little heart away thinking I would play my way into the pearly gates of glory until I started seeing patterns that were not becoming. I began to wonder why the churches weren’t what the bible described them as, why people still had struggles Jesus said he could take away, why after 20 long years of shouting and revivals I still couldn’t tell you the difference from God the Father & Jesus Christ, I was seeking for answer and none of the people around could help. I moved to another city in solitude to seek God as the prophets did in the wilderness……..there began my journey to faith. I met a gentleman named AJ who had multiple gifts, he preached a very lively message of solely trusting in Jesus for all things and it was very encouraging. There i began to seclude myself. I sought to be what God wanted me to be, my heart was so pure but in time things changed. I was slowly coherrced to cut off connections with family, friends and even myself. My love for God and desire to be used of God was played against me. Call it stupid of you will but if you’ve ever experienced a supernatural movement you’d understand why i was willing to give all these things up. I believed God was the 1st and last, an frankly all I would need. I gave up electronics, food, money, friends, liberality serving this man who called himself the Apostle as did the men in scripture for the Apostles and Jesus Christ. Mentally I was flourishing, physically i was lost.

The business of the ministry was selling homemade novelties like Candy Apples, Boiled Peanuts, Peanut Brittle, Snow Cones and little things of the sort. We stood outside Wal-Mart stores, Grocery Stores like Harvey’s, Winn Dixie and also department stores like K-Mart as well and sold to common people. I traveled hours a day to set up our stand and we slaved believing it be a sacrifice of service hoping God would see it and we soon receive the gift of God. We were taught that in this physical service our love for the ministry showed our love for God, not just verbally but actions confirming it. 3.5 yrs later I realized i was being used, I saw attributes of hatred, people of the ministry had become vain, fighting each other to impress the so called Apostle no longer in love with God. All the women had been separated from men, their husband left them they’d gone back into what was called the world. The women all became pregnant by this man who called himself “Man Of God”. I realized I had outgrown this, pain I felt no more, I had cried so much there were no more tears. I learned that it was with trickery he manipulated multiple souls to join this false ministry, give all there substance and become stripped of everything and when the reality comes that this ministry is not what its cracked up to be they can’t leave! They’ve been isolated from loved ones and friends so long they’re ashamed. Out of the loop, not current with anything, credit gone bad, hope slaughtered, Women impregnated afraid to fight embarrased to present another life to the family, even more fearful because he will try and curse them with death, men worried, dumbfounded as to how they would explain their mistake. I looked up after 3 longs years and realized that God had loved me all along.

I walked out the gate of that property knowing I had suffered what most people could not dare fathom. I was what some would call a military jarhead. I should’ve gone crazy but I understand now what it means to be kept, what it means to be healed…..ok so i’m dragging on more than I planned but you get the gist of this, I have been made , tried and perfected to carry the weight appointed to me. I am JUSTIFIED & DEFINED by CHRIST!!!

Winning in Christ is sooooo much easier said that done. To stand in the face of them who despise you, walk amongst the wolves knowing that they desire to sift you and mangle you into pieces never to be found again, how do you cope? I say Jesus Christ. Thats it, I look at his crucifixion and thinks of how he stays calm, quiet and reserved, never quick to rise with response, slow to speak and he remained wise in his choice of words. This is how we must walk in the earth. Darkness is ever around us and we are ever walking in it, but how we choose to let our light shine is solely based on us. Do we keep it concealed by being introverts or do we blend in as Jesus did and throw nuggets of knowledge when they least expect it. I’m convinced that this is not an easy win but a valuable one. The win I’m referencing to will change you, your perspective and outcome forever. Learn that just one time can be relevant for a Lifetime. One win, one triumph, one conquer, one show, one title, one accomplishment can change your course FOREVER. So do you fear this level of experience? Do you fear this type of authority? Can you handle this measure of strength? Are you determined to triumph? When I welcomed this choice I took the first step and overcame fear. I overcame the fear that held me bound, fear that kept me from reaching my potential, false evidence appearing real halted my endeavor to be great. This day I can declare with out doubt that I overcame it!!! Level one……CONQUERED.

Failure is not an option…..that’s a quote spoken only by ones who are extremely relentless. I often think of this quote. I find myself chewing on it and often rehearsing it to myself several times over, it drives me in most cases to be even better. More so I think of the scripture quoted by Christians “I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthened me” simply beacause I realized that there are no limits or boundaries in the faith I’ve chosen to believe. I can do whatever I set my mind too, achieve whatever goals I desire. I can make, dream, wish or cause any desire to manifest because I/We are Gods greatest creation. I am able to do ANYTHING….ANYTHING…..ANYTHING. I love that God has given me power over all the power of the wicked one!! I can overcome all my struggles, bounce back from my failures, in fact be even better than I was before. Let your downfalls or mishaps work for you. My biggest insecurity is my strongest muscle! Work your faith people and stand in the face of failure and say “InsI Am Greater Than You!” Who is greater the my God……. NO ONE! Fail?!?!? What fail….no here My God doesnt do that!

So it’s really hard for an artist/male/musician to explain genre’s, secular or non-secular music to someone simply because that’s not what I hear. The truth is, that as a musical guru you’re subject to see me rock’n out to come classical tunes of Bach or Mozart & 3 minutes later it’s replaced with a 4 on the floor Blake Shelton belting out random tunes with a deep southern drawl. I love tunes, I love all the instrument in the band, even more how they all can work together harmonically and take me to a place of bliss that it’s not even explainable. I’m a musical sponge, yodle, crack, scream, whimper, belt, whine, scatt, growl, do whatever but if it was interpreted in some odd way to generate such a sound understand that I’m the guy who’s there in the crowd tooting your horn, cheerleading because I’m a fan of the creativity! Im a fan of the ability, a fan of the way you took something that seemed so small and showed how small is really wasn’t, singers, musician this is what we do, create, inspire and do it to the best of our ability. I love music, country, rock, jazz, christian, pop, Rythym & Blues, Techno, hip hop you name it, I can appreciate it-